New Beginning: Post-apocalypse
by 1991-M-Sable
Summary: After the end of the Envangelion spin-off Campus Apocalypse, Shinji and Rei try to live on––perhaps with one another. ReadxReview. OoC. Lime/Lemon.


**Title: **Sweet Dreams, Young Lovers

**Rating:** Mature

**Main Genre:** Romance

**Pairing:** ShinjixRei

**Summary:** After the end of the Envangelion spin-off _Campus Apocalypse, _Shinji and Rei try to live on––perhaps with one another. SxR. OoC. Lime/Lemon.

**Notes: **My 5th Fanfic. An outlet for the lemonade in my head, and an honest attempt at an entertaining story & plot with Lime(s), and eventually Lemon(s). There will be obvious OoC, but hopefully not much. PLEASE Read&Review! Flamers welcome, Trolls as well – but beware of Big Billy Goats.

**Disclaimer:** Neon Genesis Evangelion. Directed and Written by Hideaki Anno. Character Design by Yoshiyuki Sadamoto. Animation Production by Gainax. _Campus Apocalypse _written and illustrated by Ming Ming. I own nothing.

**Key:**

Word = text

"Word" = speech

'_word'_ = thoughts

_word_ = misc. details

**Word **= titles, headings, etc.

- = narrative break, change in scene, etc.

**Better Be Prepared**

Rei decided that the only thing to do––the only way to carry on after losing Kaworu––was to continue her routine. Before, when NERV and Commander Ikari could call her to duty at a moment's notice, Rei had perfected the act of living to a science: her apartment lacked nothing yet held no luxury; her schedule was composed of short, simple tasks, but nothing that couldn't be given up at the drop of a hat; even mimicking Yui's character was part of the routine.

And even though Rei had lost Yui's diary in the chaos of the fake Commander Ikari's last days, she had started on one project that she was now intent to finish. _'For the sake of the routine,'_ she thought to herself, putting her feelings toward Shinji aside. _'But what do you feel for him?' _asked a voice in her head that sounded a lot like Asuke.

_'I care for Ikari-kun,' _Rei admitted to herself. _'But seeing someone through the eyes of a mother. . .how could anyone not love him?'_

_'You are not Yui,' _another voice spoke up. _'You are Rei.'_

_'I am Rei,' _she reminded herself, nearly speaking the words out loud. True, Rei knew Shinji in ways that Yui did not––in ways she never would be able. _'Brave . . . Loyal . . . Strong-willed . . . and––' _

Rei could not help but picture Shinji's thin lips, messy hair, broad shoulders, and––

"Ow!" Rei screamed, putting her finger in her mouth. She had cut herself working on that one project that gave her routine the structure it needed. For a month, Shinji's borrowed lunch box had sat empty on Rei's sink. She practiced cooking every day, spending much of her savings and allowance on ingredients, trying desperately to make the perfect box lunch for Shinji.

Rei quickly changed the bandages on her hands. This must be her 31st injury (one for each day of effort). _'That's the price I pay for day-dreaming,' _she thought, as she finished her practice lunch box for that day. Tomorrow would be the day. Tomorrow _must _be the day, for tomorrow was the first day of the last week of the term. Though their school curriculum was thoroughly Japanese, the Catholic missionary school enforced a western style semester system: 20 weeks before Christmas break, then 20 more weeks till a long summer break.

If Rei had any chance of seeing Shinji over the two week break, she would have to act now. Of course, until that night, as Rei lay awake too excited to sleep, she had never admitted this unconscious desire to herself.

_'He must want to see me too,' _Rei assured herself, thinking of all the after-school walks back home. Shinji had walked Rei to her apartment complex everyday since they resumed their 'normal' school days. Though Asuka walked with them as well, talking much more openly than ever before––and thank God, since Rei would not, could not, keep up a conversation for that long trip––she kept straight at the bridge, while Rei and Shinji lived on the opposite side of the river.

Those few short minutes alone were spent mostly in silence, but occasionally Shinji would inquire about Rei's injuries, or her studies, or whether or not she was eating well. Last week, Rei remembered to her delight, Shinji had even offered to cook her a meal on Christmas, or else invite her over for dinner with him and Kaji.

_'He _must _want to see me,' _Rei thought, as she squeezed her pillow and shut her eyes tight, forcing herself into a good night sleep.

* * *

At that moment, Shinji lay awake thinking of what Rei had said at lunch that day. It was wild enough that when the bell rang, Rei had walked over to his desk and asked him––in the sight of Toji and Kensuke, Asuka and Hikari, and half a dozen others––to follow her outside. "I'd like to have a word with you, Ikari-kun."

"S-sure," Shinji gulped, looking around embarrassed. Nevertheless, he got up and made the long march out of the room with the eyes of the entire class upon him and Rei. He had made a ridiculous assumption as to what Rei wanted to tell him: _'A confession?!' _Of course not. The last time Shinji thought _that_, Rei had wanted to take ownership of a horse's head.

"ls anything wrong, Ayanami?" Shinji asked, hoping that this wasn't the case.

Thankfully, Rei shook her head. "I wanted to repay you." Shinji gave her a quizical look. He hadn't the faintest idea what Rei meant; if anything, _he_ owed Ayanami for all she had done in protecting him from the Angels and the faux-commander. "So tomorrow, I'll bring your lunch box back."

"Oh!" Shinji exclaimed. He had forgotten all about that incident, but was glad to discover that Rei had not. "Uuummm. . .thank you, Ayanami."

"That's all," Rei said, abruptly turning on her heal and marching back to the classroom.

_'Was she blushing?' _Shinji asked himself, but decided to shake the thought away and follow her back.

Now, laying face-up on his small mattress at half past midnight, Shinji replayed the scene over and over in his mind. Ayanami didn't _exactly_ mention then that she was gonna make him lunch, but what else could she have meant? Then there was the incident on their walk home. . .

"Get Rei home safe, stupid Shinji!" Asuka yelled, as he and Rei crossed the bridge. Shinji hardly registered the customary insult. His mind raced with what to say to Ayanami––even more so than usual, after that odd scene at lunch.

"Asuka was talking about having a Christmas party over break," Shinji said. He had regretted the bold offer to cook Rei a Christmas dinner. _'Me and Ayanami alone,'_ Shinji had thought to himself. _'How stupid could I be? Of course she wouldn't agree to that.' _

Rei didn't answer, but Shinji continued. "I mean, you and Asuka have been together for a long time, so I'm sure she'll invite you––and Hikari." Rei kept silent, making Shinji even more nervous. He began talking faster, "And I could try and convince Asuka to i-i-invite me. I'll cook and bring Toji and Kensuke along. The more the merrier, right? Haha. . .ha," Shinji finished with a feeble laugh.

Rei was silent for a long minute, then spoke into the silence. "I've never. . .been good with people––a lot of people," Rei's voice trailed off.

"M-me neither," Shinji stammered. _'I knew it,'_ he thought hopelessly. _'Ayanami wouldn't want to spend Christmas with me, even if there were others around.' _

Of course, Rei was thinking no such thing. She only meant what she said. She felt uncomfortable enough being at school, or walking home with Asuka and Shinji: she didn't know how to handle a big party.

Shinji's last idea was better. A small dinner, _'Shinji and I together . . . like this,'_ Rei thought, looking over at Shinji for the first time. They were almost to her apartment complex, and Shinji hadn't spoken again. Then suddenly, an earthquake shook the ground beneath them, and Rei tripped. Shinji was there in a moment and managed to break her fall. The earthquake stopped.

"Are you ok, Ayanami?" Shinji asked. Rei had closed her eyes, and when she opened then, she saw that the soft surface on which she had fallen was Shinji's body. She was straddling his waist.

"Ah, Shinji!" Rei shot up and turned away, muttering, "I'm sorry."

"Shinji. . ."

"Huh?" Rei looked around to see Shinji dusting off his knees and rubbing his head.

"You've never called my 'Shinji'," Shinji explained, blushing. "It––ah," Shinji looked determinately at the floor, "makes me happy."

Rei went as red as a tomato, and Shinji saw it. His mouth fell open, but Rei turned to look him in the eye. She was furious with herself. Rei's exclamation was meant to be internal, but that wasn't the only thing bugging her. 'When had she started thinking of him 'Shinji', instead of 'Ikari-kun'?

She finally broke her stare, turned, and continued their walk. Shinji followed in silence.

As they approached the entrance to Rei's apartments, Rei stopped abruptly. "Meet me in the courtyard. . .for lunch tomorrow," she said in her soft voice. Shinji nodded, now intensely embarrassed himself. There was a long moment of silence, then Rei added, "And you can call me 'Rei'."

Shinji gulped, nodded, and watched as Rei ran into her apartment complex.

_'I'm never gonna get to sleep,'_ Shinji thought to himself, thinking of the eventful day as he shifted uncomfortably in his bed. However, an hour or so past and Shinji finally drifted into sleep with the final thought: _'I wonder how Rei's cooking will taste.'_


End file.
